The Gates
by Avatard.2112
Summary: It has been five years since Sozin's Comet. And two years since Aang saw Katara and the Gaang. After all this time Aang returns to his old friends only to find that they are not quite how he left them... Will Aang be able to mend the broken bonds? Or is it too late to make amends with the people he loves the most...Kataang!
1. Chapter 1

_Hey Everyone! This is my first fan fiction ever so be kind. Rate and Review!_

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_I am only a man. Trying to stand. -The Paper Kites_

It was a cold winter day when he walked through the streets of Ba Sing Sae. Even though the cold was bitter and caused his bones to ache with pain, the man pushed on. Not many people were walking about on this particular chilly day. Besides a couple passing him on the other side of the street, he was actually the only one.

As the couple passed he couldn't help but stare. And by staring he learned. With their hands, he learned that they kept each other warm. With the balance in their step, he learned that they relied on each other. With their slow pace he learned that they were not focused on the destination, but more the journey. Last of all, he learned from their eyes, that they loved each other with a kind of love that not even death can conquer.

Seeing them made him joyful, yet at the same time it brought remorse. He once knew a girl that he had this kind of love for. It was only five short years ago that he kissed this girl on a tea shop balcony. Yet they were not walking down the street together. He was alone.

And it was his fault.

He had pushed her away until she could not take it anymore. He wasn't trying to hurt her… he was trying to save her from being stuck with him. He loved her with every fiber of his soul, but he knew that she deserved much more than he could give her.

She deserved a man who would always come home. A man who could guarantee her safety. A man who put her above all things. And he could do none of these. So he left.

Now two years down the road, and he was walking once more in her direction. He had changed a lot since the last time he had seen her. He was much taller, now at a towering 6 feet tall, and his shoulders had broadened. He had also become much more muscular which was brought on by all his heavy training. But the most change was in his face.

Before he left it was filled with happiness and a childlike love for all things, but now it was different. One could not tell unless they looked closely, but he had definitely changed. His eyes held a twinge of loneliness and fatigue. Even when he smiled, it never quite touched his deep gray eyes.

But hey. Who really cared, right?

With a heavy sigh in the crisp air the man realized that he had reached his destination. He looked at the door for a couple seconds just thinking. Should he have come? Would they want to see him? Maybe he should just turn around and go home… but he didn't move. He just stood and let the swirling air around him go into his lungs and fill him with a deep burn. In a way, the air woke him up from his pondering thoughts and he finally moved.

With a steady hand, he reached up and knocked on the door to The Jasmine Dragon.

It took about 10 seconds before the door handle fidgeted. He knew the time had finally come.

And with that the large door swung open.

"AANG?" was all the man at the door could stutter.

"Uh.. hey Sokka." Aang said quietly trying to figure out if the man in front of him was going to invite him in or slam the door in his face. The door in the face was probably what he really deserved.

But the man did neither. Instead he wrapped Aang in a strangling hug that actually kind of hurt.

"LET… GO… CAN'T… BREATHE!" Aang struggled to say to Sokka as he fought for air.

When Sokka finally let go his eyes were brimming with a little bit of water. He tried to hide it before Aang noticed, but it was too late. The damage was done.

"I haven't seen you in like years. Seriously it's been 2 years 23 days and 4 hours… not that I was counting…" Sokka then flashed him with a smile that only Sokka could pull off.

"Its good to see you too, Sokka." and as he said this he had to restrain himself from letting his weakness show like Sokka did.

All of a sudden he heard a loud scream come from somewhere behind the door.

"TWINKLETOES?!"

When Aang heard this he immediately braced himself for the inevitable punch in the arm. And surely enough it came. But even though he braced himself, he still lost a little feeling where she hit him.

"That's for leaving." Then she suddenly knocked him over in a hug even stronger than Sokka's.

"And this is for coming back." she mumbled into his sleeve as she held him tightly, only audible to Aang.

Aang was shocked by Sokka's reaction, but Toph was completely mindblowing. He didn't see her hug anyone the whole time they traveled together. She had changed just as much as he had.

Actually both of them had. As Aang looked closer he saw that Sokka had more of a glow to him. Maybe that was due to the fact that he had become quite a handsome man. And Toph had also changed into someone who wasn't constantly picking her toenails. She was more a rough young woman than the dirty little girl he had known for so long.

"Its so good to see both of you!" Aang said when Toph finally released her death grip on him and allowed him to get up.

Aang suddenly realized what was causing Sokka's glow when another person stepped out of the tea shop.

"Is that Aang?" the woman said when she saw him.

When Aang saw her he did not recognize her. The girl he had known, now wore a gleaming betrothal necklace and had a small protruding bump in her midsection. When she arrived at the doorway, Sokka put his arm around her waist in a comforting yet almost protective manner.

"Hello, Suki." Aang said when he finally recognized the face that was normally covered in heavy kyoshi makeup.

"This is certainly a shock… I don't mean to sound rude, but what are you doing here?" Suki said and the others slowly nodded because they were thinking the same question.

"Um… its sort of a long story...Can I come inside?"

"Of course!" They all said at once and filed into the tea room.

As soon as they entered Aang, Toph and Sokka sat down while Suki prepared some tea for them. It was at this moment that Aang realized that an important face was missing. The face that he had traveled halfway across the world to see. The face that had saved him from that iceberg all those years ago.

"Where's Katara?" Aang said with a bit of caution in his voice.

At this everyone in the room kind of stiffened and it took a moment before Sokka finally spoke on his sister's behalf.

"Well she… uh… she's out in the town…" Sokka stuttered out. As he spoke his eyes flicked around the room like he was avoiding something. Something important.

"Oh… What for?" Aang asked, trying to conceal his concern for Katara.

"Well its kind of hard to explain… she is-"

"GETTING GROCERIES" Toph interrupted.

Aang knew they were hiding something but he didn't want to push it considering he was still on thin ice for just now visiting after 2 years. So instead he just moved on and told them stories of his adventures around the world. He had done so much in so little time that it was hard for them to believe that this was still Aang standing in front of them.

After many tales (some a little exaggerated) Aang told them why he was here. It had to do with a dream he had two nights ago. Unlike most of his dreams, this one had Roku in it. .

"In the dream, Roku told me I had to find you guys. He said it was important for fulfilling my destiny, but he didn't say much more than that. I just assumed you were in some sort of trouble so I came as quickly as possible… and well that leads me to how I am here now."

After Aang finished his story, he just talked to his old friends and caught up. According to what they told him, Sokka was married and preparing for his new child, Toph was dating some earthbender in a lower ring of Ba Sing Sae and Zuko was getting married in a few months so Iroh was in the fire nation preparing him for his big day. While he was gone they were watching over the shop.

But of all the conversations they had, Katara never came up. Nobody said anything about how she was doing or if she had changed. Nothing. So Aang finally brought her name up.

"So when do you think Katara will be back?" He said nonchalantly.

Toph spit out her tea, while Suki choked on what she was sipping. Sokka just looked at Aang with big eyes and said, "Um soon… how about we show you to your room now? I'm sure you're ready to take a nap after all this traveling!"

It was true. Aang was exhausted. But not just from traveling. He was tired from life in general. Everything just drained him, and he never really had much energy to be drained from. But he wasn't tired enough that he didn't realize Sokka was avoiding his question. Not just his question, he was avoiding Katara in general. They all were.

But why?

What could have happened to Katara in the two years since he saw her? Something so terrible that his own friends wouldn't tell him. The last time they didn't tell him something, he found out that his whole people were wiped out.

But instead of letting himself fret, he allowed Sokka to lead him to his room. It was a quaint room with a small bed under the window on the back wall. The walls were a light yellow that suited Aang very nicely. Besides the bed, there was a small table beside the head and a dresser on one of the side walls. Although Aang really only cared about the bed.

When Sokka left him to unpack, he walked over to the bed and just flopped down face first. As soon as he hit the bed he was practically asleep. But he knew he had to change before he could sleep. After all, he had been wearing this outfit for almost a week and he had to admit that it had started to repel others with its stench.

So he took off his typical air nomad garb and showered off. As the water ran down his chest, he realized that the water was not only cleaning away his dirt, but it was also rinsing away his pain and regret. His friends had forgiven him and showed him great love after what he had done. Maybe it wasn't too late to mend his broken his friendships.

But then he remembered.

She still hadn't seen him. Which meant she still hadn't forgiven him.

At this thought, all of Aang's past fears returned in a wave that threatened to overwhelm him and he was left to finish his shower with a feeling of self loathing. And only Katara's water could rinse him of that.

All of a sudden, he heard a quiet knock on the door, and he knew it was time for him to step out of the warm embrace of water. He quickly clothed himself and walked over to the door. When he opened it, he was shocked to find Suki standing there. She looked kind of panicked and she quickly pushed her way into his room and sat down on his bed.

"Uh hey Suki. Did you need something?" Aang said, trying not to seem rude even though Suki had barged into his privacy.

Suki solemnly looked up at Aang. In her eyes he could see some sort of emotion. Was it pity? Or fear? Whatever it was, it wasn't a good emotion, and it sent shivers down his spine.

"Yea, Aang. I had to tell you that... Katara is back…"

At this statement Aang completely forgot about Suki's eyes and started smiling like a fool. Even after all the thoughts he had in the shower he still was happy when her name popped up. Because with her name came the picture of her beautiful face surrounded in her sepia colored hair. And those piercing blue eyes. This picture sent him into the air with a gust of wind and pushed him to the door which lead to her. He couldn't believe he was finally going to see her again.

That was when a cold but firm hand grabbed his wrist and turned him around, and tore him away from his picture of Katara.

"There's something else. Katara has changed and I just don't want you to be too hurt when you see-" But Suki was cut off when a shadow appeared at the door to his room.

When he saw Suki staring at whoever was standing there, he in turn looked towards the figure at the door.

His breath was completely gone when he laid his eyes upon her beauty, but he somehow pushed one word out of his lips.

"Katara."


	2. Chapter 2

**_Hello everyone! I just want to say thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed my previous chapter. It really means a lot! The second chapter came out faster than I thought it would, so don't expect chapters to come out this fast usually. There was originally another part to this but I decided to save it for the next chapter so I could add more details. That's why this one is kind of short. Thanks Again! Rate and Review! _**

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_People that know, where the wind goes, have a mind so soothing. -The Paper Kites_

Air. It was his element. He had mastered it before he was even twelve years old. He used it to defeat the firelord and save the world from a hundred year war. Yet for some reason he could not summon it at that moment.

Suki knew that she was intruding something so she left without another word. Leaving them alone in the room.

She was standing in front of him. It was almost like some sort of dream. But he knew it wasn't because his mind could not possibly fathom those mesmerizing blue eyes. Nothing he could think of could do them justice. And she had changed from how he remembered her. She was no longer a little girl, but a young woman. A stunning young woman. She was more curved than last time he saw her, and her hair also seemed longer. She was wearing a simple blue dress, but she made it look like it was made of jewels. She was… Perfect.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the young woman across the room said something.

"Aang, what are you doing here-" before she could finish, Aang had crossed the room and enveloped her in a tight embrace.

When he wrapped his arms around her, he felt all his insecurities drop like a weight that he had no idea he was carrying. As he held her and she held him, he inhaled her scent through his nose. She smelled the same after all these years, ocean salt and flowers just before they bloom. He could feel her taking him in, too, as they hugged, and with every breath she took, her chest moved and filled the gap between them. They fit like two pieces of a puzzle.

Aang could have held her for lifetimes, just feeling the ebb and flow of her life pulsing around him. And for the first time in two long years, Aang wasn't drained. He was full of life. Her life.

When they finally separated, it was too soon. Any time was too soon. But at least he could finally look into those beautiful eyes again. He stared at her face, trying to memorize everything. Her chilling blue eyes, which could change with her every thought. Her cheekbones which defined her luminous smile. Her nose curved at a perfect angle. And her mouth which was open slightly so she could breathe. He yearned most for her lips. To touch them against his.

And before he knew it, his face was closing what little distance was between them. Her warmth was becoming more intense as his face drifted closer.

Her. That's all he wanted. To be closer to her.

His lips were just about to graze hers when they heard a voice at the door. And just like that their closeness was gone, and all of Katara's warmth left with it. Leaving Aang standing there, cold and alone.

When Aang finally looked up to see who had arrived at the door, he was brutally shocked. In front of him stood a man who wore what appeared to be water tribe clothing. His hair was tied back in a ponytail, much like Sokka's, but he wasn't Sokka. Instead of a humorous smile he wore a grin that exuded confidence and pride. Aang just wanted to tell him to leave so he could be alone with Katara again but he knew it would be too rude.

So instead he waved a little awkwardly and said, "Um hello. Can I help you?" As he said this he took his hand that had been holding Katara and nervously grabbed his neck.

Katara then took another step away from him, and towards this other man. It hurt Aang to have Katara move away from him after feeling her so close. Close enough that they had almost kissed. But now she stood beside this new stranger, and Aang couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

But then the stranger spoke.

"The name is Kantu. I'm from the Northern Water Tribe." Even when he was talking, Aang felt like he thought he was above everyone. Almost condescending.

"And who are you?" the man directed to Aang.

"I'm Aang. I used to travel with Katara when I was twelve years old. She helped me defeat the fire lord. We were…" He paused. What were they? He looked to Katara's eyes for help, but only found the side of her face as she looked away, avoiding him. "We were friends" Aang breathed.

But even as he said it, he knew it wasn't true. Aang had loved Katara. Aang wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. It was because he loved her, that he left in the first place.

And now she wouldn't even look at him. She almost looked like she was ashamed.

Finally Kantu broke the awkward silence.

"You defeated the fire lord…?Wait you're the Avatar aren't you?! Katara never mentioned knowing the Avatar…"

That stung. She might as well have walked over and slapped him in the face. But he did deserve it.

Kantu looked back and forth between the two and exclaimed, "...Wait…Did you two have a thing?"

They both blushed simultaneously and Aang started babbling like a mad man.

"Well.. um.. we...well you see… she saved me… and I was… we were younger…"

But Katara stopped his rant with a few simple words. "We were never a thing"

She said it like she was trying to convince herself and even though she convinced Kantu, Aang was not so easily fooled. She had felt something, and the way they hugged had shown she still felt something.

But even though he knew she didn't feel that way, it still gave Aang a sick feeling to his stomach. Why couldn't she tell this man that they were once in love?

Kantu looked a little relieved "Well good. Because dating the Avatar is one of those things that your fiance should know.."

Aang stopped. His light-hearted mood melted away at the sound of that word.

Fiance.

This wasn't right. This wasn't happening. Aang looked up at Katara hoping she would deny it. And this time Katara was looking right at him. But she didn't show any emotion. But as he looked at her he noticed that her necklace was not the same. It was a lighter blue and it had a new carving on it. And Aang knew at that moment it was true. Because it had been made by the man standing in front of him.

Then he moved his eyes up her neck to her eyes again. Now there was something there. She looked like she wanted to come hold him and tell him it was okay. But she just stood there. And watched him die.

Or what seemed like dying. His breathing was shallow and he felt like he was choking. Drowning. He felt water collecting on the brim of his eyelid, like a wave about to break. He needed to be alone. Now.

He was trying to hold himself together, but he could feel himself breaking at the seams.

And Katara could tell. She knew him like the back of her hand. But the only thing she could do was leave him to take it in.

"Well Kantu and I are going to go talk to the others.." Katara said as she walked away. On the last word Katara's voice broke just barely and Kantu didn't notice. But Aang did.

As they walked away, Aang saw Kantu put his arm around her waist. He knew it was to comfort her, but it had the opposite effect on him.

And as the door was swinging shut, Aang saw Katara turn her head and look at him for a fraction of a second. Just before the door shut her out.

All Aang could think was: that should be him comforting her.

But he had given that up when he chose to leave and protect her. He had given her up. The only woman he would ever love.

After the door shut, Aang just collapsed right where he stood. What was happening? Why was he showing so much weakness? He just couldn't hold his emotions at bay any longer.

And so they overflowed.

And he cried.

Ever since he left, he had bottled up all of his emotions. And now he finally let everything he felt overtake him. It felt good to release but at the same time, it hurt sooo bad.

Everything was resurfacing.

His abandonment.

His cruelty.

His selfishness.

His loneliness.

His sadness.

His guilt.

Every emotion was a stab to his heart, and he was left to just bleed out on the floor. And as he laid there, dying, he realized that this is what he really deserved.

To be abandoned. It was what he had done to her.

But that realization didn't curve his stabbing anguish. It only sharpened it. Making his sorrow so deep and he doubted he could ever relinquish it.

So there he sat. Broken by the healer who he loved, despite the fact that she would never return his feelings.

And he slowly drifted into the darkness. Alone.


	3. Chapter 3

_Woohoo! I finished the third chapter! I tried to make it as heart felt as possible and I have edited it like gazillions of times! Hope you all like it! And also thanks to all the people who reviewed. It really means a lot. Well enjoy!_

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_When the stars are the only things we share, will you be there? -Atlas Hands_

Morning.

Its a funny thing. No matter what happens, morning is always rebirth. It has a property that can erase the past and carve a new future. A future where everything is ok.

But on this morning, Aang felt no rebirth. He felt nothing.

He had fallen asleep on the ground beside the bed and the hard floor had taken a toll on him. His back ached and his left forearm was numb from resting his head on it as he slept. His eyes were also quite tender and felt puffy from last nights events.

Aang silently arose from the ground and peeked out the window above his bed. The sun was just rising over the horizon. Dawn.

He knew that no one else was probably awake yet, so he went to the bathing room with as little sound as possible. Once he made it without waking anybody, he looked in the mirror above the sink.

No wonder his eyes hurt so much. They looked like balloons. He felt like such a baby for letting himself cry so much.

Besides his eyes looking like they had exploded, he also had marks on his face where he had laid his face on his arm, and a nice coating of dirt from the floor. He was a truly a mess.

So he took some water from the wash bowl and bended it so it cleaned off any remnants of the previous night. He didn't need the reminders.

After getting his face as clean as possible he went back to his room to change. Once again he took his steps as cautiously as possible. He was one step away from his room when a door on his right swung open. He tensed.

"Twinkletoes?" Toph whispered through the dark hallway.

"Sorry Toph. I didn't mean to wake you, I was just washing up…"

"You okay? Your heartbeat seems a little off.."

It probably was. Katara had basically ripped it out of his chest last night. He was sort of surprised it was still beating.

"Yea its nothing. I just couldn't sleep last night." Because he was too busy dying. He left that part out.

He could tell that she didn't believe a word he said, but she didn't press him. For once Aang was thankful for her apathy.

"Ok well you wanna go eat some breakfast?"

Aang's stomach rumbled in response to Toph. He had forgotten the last time he had eaten. It must have been before he even arrived in Ba Sing Sae.

So as Toph went to the kitchen to make some quick breakfast, he went to his room to grab a change of clothes. As he picked up his new outfit of the day, a small blue box fell out of his bag. He hurriedly snatched up the box and stuffed it in the back a his dresser.

He then changed trying not to think about that little package that he had brought with him and meant so much to him. He had forgotten he even had it after the wake of last nights events. Finally he finished changing and he made his way to the kitchen.

For breakfast, Aang fixed himself a bowl of oatmeal with lychee berries mixed in. Toph just chose a papaya from the fruit bowl and dug into it without a second thought. As she devoured her papaya she spit the little black seeds right a Aang. Some things never changed.

After a couple hard blows to the head, Aang finally retaliated with a lychee berry right at Toph's forehead. It hit her right between the eyes and left a red stain where it made contact.

Aang struggled not to laugh because he knew Toph would not let him get away with that maneuver. But he couldn't help it. And soon Toph joined in his laughter. Which surprised Aang but didn't cease his chuckles. It felt good to laugh. He didn't even mind when Toph earth bended his chair backwards suddenly and he fell to the ground with a loud crash.

His fall ended up waking Suki up who came into the kitchen and started cooking some seal blubber. She didn't question why there was a huge red mark between Toph's eyes or why Aang was sprawling on the floor, she just went about with her daily business. Her seal blubber eventually attracted Sokka from his deep slumber and he walked into the kitchen half dead also not worrying about the mess that Aang and Toph created. He just worried about the delicious meat that Suki was cooking.

After a few more minutes, Katara and Kantu came out, also attracted by the seal blubber and loud laughter still being emitted by Aang and Toph. As soon as she walked in Aang's laughter died and his mirth was replaced by his feelings from last night. His laughter had masked the feelings, but it hadn't erased them.

When Katara walked in, she didn't make eye contact with Aang, but she held onto Kantu's arm tightly. Like he could protect her from Aang's sorrow.

Everyone could feel the tension in the room as Aang went silent and Katara became distant.

"I could cut this tension with a knife, am I right?" Sokka joked as he swung a knife in the air chuckling. Suki discreetly jabbed him in the arm for his comment. Sokka didn't make anymore jokes after that.

"I think I am going to go meditate on the balcony..." Aang said, and left without letting anyone respond to his sudden change of attitude. He wanted to be alone. His wound was still fresh, and Katara and Kantu's presence just made it sting more.

As he crossed his legs and sat upon the railing that closed in the balcony, he shut his eyes and let the wind caress his face, curving around his cheekbones and meandering along his eyelids and flowing over his skull. He welcomed the chilled air of winter. It made him feel free and safe.

But sadly he was never free of his thoughts.

All he could think about was Katara. Even though she had let him suffer, he still felt a sense of guilt. What if he really had pushed her into marrying someone else. No. Katara was too strong-willed to do something like that just to get him back for leaving. No matter how much she changed, that quality would always stick with her. Maybe she actually liked him…that thought gave him a feeling of dread that pulsed through every corner of his body. He didn't want to focus on this topic anymore.

So instead he thought about the moments when he first saw her. The way she had reacted when he hugged her, before everything went up in flames. Aang thought she really loved him again. Its not like she pushed him away when he hugged her… and when he was about to kiss her, she hadn't moved an inch. She just stood there waiting, like this whole time he was gone she had just been waiting for him. He knew she had wanted him as much as he wanted her, because he could feel her need pulsing from her lips. But then she pushed him away as soon as Kantu arrived. So did she still love him or not…?

Why did everything have to be so complicated?

So much for meditation. This little outing had just made him more confused and hurt.

After a while of trying to actually meditate and think about nothing, he lost feeling in his fingers and toes, and he thought about going back inside. But as he was about to climb off the edge, he became conscious of another person standing behind him. He had no idea how long she was there.

"Aang. I'm so sorry." Katara whispered. There was gut-wrenching pain in every word.

"I didn't mean for you to find out that way." she continued. He realized that she was waiting for him to respond. Like he could say something to make her feel better about her betrayal.

"No matter how you told me, it would have hurt." He muttered. His words weren't malicious, they were just... lifeless. And he could tell that Katara was even more hurt by that.

"You can't blame me. I didn't think I would ever see you aga-"

"I know. I left you. I hurt you. It's my fault." Aang cut her off. He had told himself this sentence hundreds of times. But as he said it this time, he didn't add any emotion to his words.

"You don't understand. You didn't just hurt me. You broke me. I woke up to find that the boy I loved had left me. Without even saying goodbye!" She was starting to cry now. A small stream made its way down her flawless destroyed him. He could take any amount of pain, but seeing Katara in this state made him want to die. He immediately regretted every word he had said to her.

So he jumped up and ran to her side. He wanted to put his arms around her in a comforting hug. He wanted to tell her that he tried to say goodbye, but he knew he could never leave if he did. But she only pushed him away with all the strength she had. Now there were steady rivers of tears running down her face.

"I thought you loved me… and I trusted you…" She struggled to say through sobs, he voice cracking when she said "love".

"I did love you! And I still do!" he exclaimed. He desperately tried to find a way to convince her of what he felt.

But when he said that she only looked up at him. Her eyes were full of an icy rage that could kill on contact. Those beautiful eyes that once held love were now full of hate. And all the hate was directed to him.

"SHUTUP. I don't want your lies! You don't love me. Love is about making sacrifices for the other person. All you did was leave because you were a coward!" She practically yelled. Now her tears had stopped. They had been replaced by her rage.

Aang tried to reach for her again but she only stepped farther out of his reach. And he could feel that she wasn't just drifting away, she was leaving.

"Don't touch me. Ever." Her words were colder than the icy air blowing around them.

"Katara… I-I was trying to protect you!" Aang was starting to stutter now, and if he still had tears to give, they would be flowing. Why couldn't she just see how much he loathed himself. How guilty he was for leaving. How he wouldn't have done it if he'd known the horrible effects it had created.

"No. You were afraid of losing someone. So you ran. Just like you ran away from your people when you were going to lose Gyatso." Every word was a sharp bullet reminding Aang of his previous mistakes.

Aang was stunned. He wanted to say something like, "You don't mean that" or "You're wrong" but he said nothing.

So Katara did.

"You never loved me." She said it like she had finally come to a conclusion to a question she had always had. She said it like it was true. And all four words were so… final.

"You don't mean that…" For some reason this comment had bruised Aang more than the previous. It brought him a new feeling that he couldn't name. And with that feeling came one single tear. But this tear was not like the others. It was… bitter. As it ran over his lips it tasted like hopelessness.

His eyes begged Katara to take back her comment but all she did was cut him deeper.

"And I never loved you."

And with that she turned and walked away. Leaving him to think.

Maybe he was a coward when he left.

Maybe he was selfish.

Maybe she didn't love him.

But one thing that could not be questioned was his love for her. His love always remained unwavering, and even as he stood alone on the balcony, he knew that he still loved her.

And love is worth fighting for.

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_Man I love cliffhangers if you guys haven't noticed! Sorry for all the aangst but it just makes the love so much sweeter... :) Remember to R&R!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hello peoples! Sorry it had been like a week since I updated! I had this sort of written but I couldn't edit it because I had to balance my finals for school and my sports practices... Anyways here it is, it is two days since the fight. I hope you all enjoy it! AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!_

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_Some call love a curse, some call love a thief but she's my home. -Devil's Tears_

Everything was dark. Including his thoughts.

It was around midnight and he was trying to sleep, but failing miserably. Everytime he closed his eyes he was reliving the moment on the balcony. But the moment he was reliving was not the one that happened two nights ago.

The moment he was reminiscing was when the war had just ended and he and Katara had shared a kiss. But it was more than just a kiss. It was a gesture that conveyed how much they loved each other. How they were more than just friends. The moment was so blissful and full of hope, yet when it formed in his mind, it only depressed him.

Because that moment was over.

And with it went Katara's love.

With the those words ringing in his head, he suddenly woke in a cold sweat. He was breathing hard and trying to calm down before he woke someone in his panic. But as his dream wore off it was replaced with a new feeling that he hadn't felt in years. Instead of his constant desperation he was filled with determination.

Determination to fix his mistakes.

He was done standing to the side and watching his world crumble to pieces. He was done crying. And he was done hurting Katara.

He was determined to show her that he really did love her, whether she would accept it or not.

And most of all, he was done running away. He was done being afraid.

It was time to be courageous and face his fears. And his destiny. Whatever it was.

All of his conviction suddenly erupted from him and he jumped into the air. His feet hit the ground with a small thud and as soon as they touched the ground, they were moving him towards the door. But halfway there he stopped dead in his tracks.

Last time he told her he loved her, it had backfired horribly, and it had resulted in two devastating casualties. But when he said it last time he had been flawed. He had let her say no. He did not believe himself enough to fight her words back. And he had hesitated.

But this time was different. He would not let her doubt him. And this time he would not let her walk away. Because as he stood there, he knew for sure that it was love that filled his lonesome heart. And all that love was for her.

It was risky, but what is love without a couple of risks.

So he finally cracked open the door and took his first step to what could result in the complete destruction of his emotions. But he didn't mind. She was worth it. She had always been worth it.

He lightly moved across the floor heading towards the last door on the right. The hallway felt longer than usual as he walked this time. He could feel his blood moving from his heart all the way to the tips of his toes. He was so aware. With every step came butterflies to his churning stomach.

Before he knew what was happening, he had arrived at her door and his fist was poised to make a small tap. But he paused again.

What if she doesn't answer? What if she doesn't listen? What if she rejects him again?

He answered all of his voices with three words: I love her. So what if she didn't care… all that mattered was that he told her what he should have told her two years ago.

And with his resolution came a slight twitch of his wrist against her door.

He waited a few seconds before the door inched its way open.

Only one blue eye stared at him through the crack, but he still saw that there was no sleep in her eyes. She hadn't been able to sleep either. A twinge of hope pulsed with his heartbeat.

He stared into her eye for only a second before the door slammed shut with a sharp snap. He was pretty surprised no one woke from the large noise, but then he thought that maybe they knew what was happening and they chose not to emerge from their rooms.

So Aang put his lips close to the door and said quietly, "Katara. Open the door." His sentence was not a question. It was only a soft demand.

His only reply was a stinging, "Go away." She didn't yell it, but her tone sounded as if she was trying to keep herself from backing down. And from letting him into the room and her heart.

But Aang knew she would respond like that, so he was ready.

"I'm not leaving. My biggest mistake was leaving someone I loved two years ago, and I am determined to never do it again." Even though the door separated them, he could hear her inhale with a sharp gasp. She didn't say anything to what he said so he continued.

"You were right. I ran because I was afraid. I was afraid of losing you. I was afraid I would hurt you. And so I thought that if I left I could save you… from me." He didn't think about what he was going to say beforehand, but as he stood there the truth just poured out of his lips. " But after I left, I realized that I was just trying to save myself, but the problem with that is..." Now it was getting hard to speak. Just breathe, he told himself. You are NOT a coward. Not anymore.

"You are the only one that can ever save me." And it was true. She had saved him from the iceberg. She had saved him from that shot of lightning. She had saved him from his grief. And she had saved him from himself. And now she stood behind a door, with his safety in her hands.

After he confessed that knowledge he had held inside for so long, he just waited. Waited for a sign telling him he was forgiven. A sign telling him he was still loved and she had not completely given up on him.

But five minutes passed and there was no response. Doubt started to push its way in, but he quickly put up a wall to block it out.

So he turned his face away from the door and set his back against the cold frame, letting the door support himself. Then he slid down the door until he was just sitting against the door with his legs crossed.

He meant what he said. He wasn't going to leave. So he sat for another 20 minutes, and his eyelids were starting to droop a little. When he shut his eyes he didn't sleep. He dreamt. He dreamt of Katara. It was like his life with her was passing before him.

Every memory he had of her appeared in front him. Her face when he awoke. Her when he gave her the necklace she had lost. Her in the cave of two lovers. Her pulling him out of the avatar state. Her when he had died. Her when they danced. Her when they kissed. All her. And soon the memories surpassed his knowledge and he was seeing the future. Her hugging him. Her marrying him. Her having children with him. Her growing old with him.

In every memory he could feel her warmth. And all of a sudden that warmth became real. He felt the cold door against his back vanish and he felt her replace it.

His eyes opened and he knew this was no memory. This was real. She was real.

She placed her arms around his waist grasping the front of his shirt, and rested her head upon his shoulder. Aang could feel something wet drip onto his sleeve and soak through to his burning skin. She was crying. And with her small tear came her beautiful voice.

"You are wrong. I never saved you... You saved me." she murmured softly into the fabric of his tunic.

And as she spoke he simultaneously spun around and grabbed her in his arms. Finally.

And she hugged him back.

She placed her face into the nook between his neck and shoulder. And with her every breath he could feel a warmth spread over his skin and through every corner of his body. He could feel her gentle hands holding him to her with a fierce need. She wasn't going to let him go.

But this hug was different from when he first encountered her.

This hug held forgiveness. And with the hug came relief.

After all the things he had messed up, she had found a way to love him again. But the love she gave him was bittersweet.

It was sweet because after two years of abandonment, she had found a way to forgive him for his mistakes. But her love was also bitter because even though he could hold her now, he knew that it wasn't his job anymore. It was Kantu's.

But he didn't want to think about that, so he embraced her tighter. And with every inch closer, he became less worried about the future. Because right now was all that mattered.

This moment he shared with the woman he loved.

And at that moment they were infinite.

As he held her, he could feel her breathing against him become more and more steady. Before long she was asleep in his arms. She must have lost a lot of sleep after their fight.

So he gently lifted her so that her head was against his shoulder and her knees were folded around his other arm. He slowly carried her towards her bed trying to savor every thing about her in his arms. Her warmth. Her softness. Her breathing. Her touch.

But the part he loved the most was her face.

It was so serene.

And it gave him peace. He was no longer at war with her, or himself. He was finally free of the invisible constraints that he had worn since he left. But that didn't erase his fatigue which was becoming apparent as he held the young woman in his arms.

So he laid her down on her bed, and carefully placed her blanket around her so she would not get cold during the night. As his nimble fingers moved the blanket over her sleeping body, he brushed over the skin on her arm. The simple touch had given him a strong surge of longing to stay there all night.

But instead he swiftly placed a kiss on her forehead. It was quick, but he still had enough time to feel the soft skin and the heat that pulsed just beneath it. He felt a shiver move down his back and he also felt a pang of guilt.

It was not his job to kiss Katara goodnight. But that didn't stop him.

So after he said a soft "Goodnight" he turned and he left her room. He had wanted to lay down beside her and keep her warm, but he knew that if he did that, he would be crossing a line. So instead he treaded down the hall back to his room.

He was almost to his door when he heard a small voice coming from the room beside him. The voice sounded… different… so he cracked open the door.

What he saw brought him spiraling back down to earth.

As he opened the door he glanced the very person who had stolen Katara from him.

Kantu.

But that wasn't what surprised him.

The surprise was the woman who was locked on his lips.

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_Woohoo! I do love myself some obstacles! The next chapter should be up by the weekend so stay tuned! Please leave reviews!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok. Here is chapter five! Sorry for the wait. I really didn't have too much inspiration flowing through my brain, and I was getting kinda depressed when I wrote this story... BUT NO WORRIES! Eventually this story will get happy... hopefully! :) Anyways. I'm sorry if this chapter seems kind of bad. It was just really hard to figure out how to connect my two big plot points... lets hope this will suffice! Enjoy! ... And don't forget to leave a review whether you hated it or loved it!**

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_If this is to end in fire, then we should all burn together. Watch the flames climb high into the night. - I See Fire_

What was even happening?

Just a moment ago, he was on top of the world. He had finally received what he had needed for two long years. Forgiveness from her.

And now, he stood watching the walls of his happiness crumble around him. Closing in with stealthy speed.

He blinked in confusion. Why was this woman kissing the man that Katara loved. The man that had provided for Katara when he could not. The man who was engaged to Katara.

Suddenly, understanding crossed his face and replaced his puzzled expression with one of pure revulsion.

Kantu was cheating on Katara with this woman.

He was so disgusted at the selfishness of Kantu for betraying the trust that Katara had so kindly given him. He did not deserve that trust. He deserved something that no monk should be thinking. Yet Aang stood there with every intention of doing it.

He truly wanted to hurt this deceitful man. He wanted this man to pay for his unfaithfulness.

Suddenly he stopped himself. Hurting him would be like hurting her. And he couldn't do that. So he hurriedly turned to leave the room before he could do something he would regret.

As he made his way out of the dim room he couldn't stop thinking about his desires to inflict pain upon Kantu. And he didn't even understand why he was so upset. He should be happy right? Maybe Katara would leave the cheater and come back to him… But he could not finish the thought.

A hesitant yet firm voice pierced his mind. This was not the same voice that had held an absurd amount of confidence. This voice held caution, and something else that Aang could not quite distinguish. But it almost sounded like it was warning him.

"Aang, what the hell are you doing here!?"

Although Aang did not want to look back at the arrogant man, he knew he could not just walk away from his problems. He had learned that the hard way before.

So with a face of stone, he turned around to face the man who was engaged to Katara. Aang did not need a mirror to tell him that his eyes had no gleam in them. Instead they were burning with hate. And all that hate was directed to Kantu. If only looks could kill...

"What do you want?" Aang hissed with an accusing tone. But despite his question, he didn't need nor want an answer from Kantu. He did not deserve his time. And he definitely did not deserve Katara's.

The man hesitated for a moment, obviously taken aback by enraged monk. Aang was not a person who held anger, so seeing it on him now gave him a concealed shiver of fear.

"Can you just… like forget seeing that?" He said it in a questioning manner, knowing he was at the mercy of the Avatar. Aang expected to hear regret or maybe even sorrow in Kantu's voice, but sadly he detected nothing of the sort. Just a question. Like he was asking what they were eating for lunch tomorrow.

And this just fanned the flames of Aang's loathing. Because he could tell this man felt nothing for Katara. He was using her. It was quite appalling to know that the woman he was willing to die for, was planning to spend the rest of her life with this… this excuse for a man. She deserved someone who returned her love with an even deeper passion. Not someone who took flight at the first sign of trouble. Nor someone who couldn't even be faithful to her.

"No. I will not let you do this to Katara." He did nothing to hide the malice that was woven into his speech. He just let it cut through the stagnant air with a sharp slice. "And you will tell her...Or I will." Every word matched the ferocity that shone in his malignant eyes.

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Kantu to stutter with a contorted face of shock. He actually expected Aang to give in. He obviously underestimated the love Aang had for Katara.

But he would not underestimate Aang again.

As soon as Aang was out of Kantu's stifling room, he made his way down the hallway with quick determined steps. It didn't take long before he realized that he was headed in the opposite direction of his room. His feet were instead taking him to the door. So he did not resist the movement. He just let them take him away. He let them take him down the hall. And through the front room. And past the balcony. And through the door. Outside into the cold wintry winds.

His first step was met with a soft layer of snow and a shooting spike of cold up his legs. In his quick escape, he had left the house in his night clothes, which consisted of a soft pair of pants and a thin undershirt. No shoes. But he still needed to get away, and keep moving. He wanted to find a place where no one could find him so he could think. He felt like he was drowning in despair.

So he kept walking despite the loss of feeling his toes, and the chill that was easily penetrating his exposed fingertips. Just one step after another was all he could think.

Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left.

He repeated the two words for what seemed like an eternity. And as he walked his face transformed from its outraged expression, to one of defeat. His arms clutched his body, trying to hold both the heat, and the emotions inside of him.

Before long, the cold started to freeze even his mind and he struggled to remember his directions. At that point he knew he had to stop. So he raised his crestfallen face to figure out where his frozen feet had taken him. He didn't recognize the area he had ended up in. It was a rather large snow clearing with a fountain in the center. The water that normally flowed in the fountain had frozen over and it was now covered in a light frost. Besides the fountain, everything was dark. The moon only illuminated the center of the clearing.

It highlighted the fountain with a beautiful sheen. The white light made it look like a haven. Some where that evil could never touch. So he walked towards the fountain, hoping it would provide the safety he needed.

Maybe if he sat down, he could figure something out… It's not like things could get worse. So when he arrived at the edge of brick that surrounded the water pool, he sat down in the feathery snow that covered the seat. The water melted a little and seeped into his cotton pants as he sat down. He really regretted the whole "no changing clothes" idea, but he knew if he hadn't moved then, he never would have been freed from the hands that were slowly closing in around his throat.

He slowly turned his body so it faced the middle of the fountain, and he examined the frozen depths of ice in the pool. At first look, he only saw himself. He looked… conquered. His eyelids drooped in an exhausted manner, and the corners of his mouth were turned into a solemn grimace. As he sat, looking at his own reflection, the thoughts and emotions that had been pent up, suddenly broke their hidden barrier and exploded from him.

He let out a bloodcurdling scream that seemed like a mix between a cry, a laugh, and a roar of outrage. Oddly the scream assuaged the sharp stabbing of pain in his gut.

He didn't even know why he was so upset about Kantu cheating.

But even though he told himself that he didn't know, deep down he had an explanation.

When Katara was with Kantu, there was happiness in her eyes. Not the fake kind, but the authentic kind. The kind of happiness that shone in his own eyes when he looked at her. She loved him. And when you love someone, you put your own well-being in their hands.

Last time she had done that, Aang had let her fall.

But Aang had promised himself that he would never let that happen to her again. Even if he wasn't the one holding her in his hands. He was willing to sacrifice his own happiness, as long as she was spared.

He had known that since day one. That is something you accept when you really love someone.

But the more important question was what he should do.

He could tell her what he saw.

Maybe if the wound came from a friend, it wouldn't hurt as much…

But he knew he was just telling himself what he wanted to hear. No matter how the news was received, it would be excruciating. But she still had a right to know the truth.

And if he didn't tell her, than someone else would have to. He could always try telling Sokka or Toph and they could break the news to her… Unlike him, they had never hurt her, so the truth would not open a freshly stitched wound. But it would still leave another mark that she wouldn't be able to heal with her water.

He suddenly felt a wave of hot rage run up his spine once again. Why did the world always have to fight him? It just kept throwing these obstacles at him. He would rather fight the fire lord again than deal with all this… emotion.

He stood abruptly and swung a solid fist at his glassy reflection. The hit sent a sharp pain through his knuckles and a small stream of blood emerged from his middle knuckle where it had made contact. The pain was multiplied ten times by the fact that his hand was practically numb when he hit the frozen water.

He felt a tear swell in his eye, and quickly pushed it down. Although he was in extreme pain, he knew his moment of weakness wasn't brought on by his bloody hand. Everything he touched just kept falling apart. He was standing on a sinking ship that was losing ground fast. And he was without a life raft to save him from the always hungry waters of despair.

With his rage waning, he looked once again at his reflection. But this time he wasn't alone.

In the mirror he saw Katara.

Although the picture that stood behind him was just a hallucination, he still found comfort in seeing her placid face. In his vision, she looked like she was trying to tell him something. But he couldn't quite decipher it, so he pushed his torso farther over the edge of the fountain to get a closer look. He watched her lips move with an unbreakable stare, and after a few minutes of just watching, he began to recognize the patterns in her movements.

He finally figured out what she was saying, and he let out a choke of relief. Her words were exactly what he needed. Her counsel had settled the raging seas of his mind, and left him with a face to match hers. She had thrown him a life raft. And he knew what he had to do.

He was just about to lift his face away from the fountain, when he saw another face start to appear in the hazy picture. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look…

But when he finally recognized who stood behind him, it was too late.

A hostile hand grabbed his skull and thrust it down towards the solid water in one fluid movement.

And as his head met the frigid ice, he heard Katara's words reach him one more time.

"You will never be alone."

And then his world was engulfed in a black blanket of nothingness.

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**I will seriously never end a chapter without a cliffhanger...**

**Need more Kataang? Check out my one-shot, Underlying Beauty! :) Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello peeples. Here is the new update. I hope it satisfies your needs! I have been imagining this part since before I came up with everything else in the story. I tried my best to make it full of emotion and I hope it is good enough. **

**Just a heads up, this chapter is done from Katara's POV. If you read the last chapter you will understand why. I hope this doesn't make it all weird... I know some people just don't like her POV. **

**OK WELL GO ON AND READ IT! And don't forget to REVIEW! Like all authors, I love reviews... :) It gives my a push to write! So please don't leave me without your feelings towards this chapter! Thanks!**

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_I don't want you to go but I want you so, So tell me what we choose.- Fools_

Her eyes were staring at a hazy image in front of her.

She was walking down a path and in front of her stood two separate branches. The paths led her in different directions, and she had no idea what laid at the end of either. Both ways looked promising but she had an ominous feeling that whichever direction she chose would always carve her future. She was at an impasse.

Her heart told her to go one way, while her mind was telling her the other way. So she stood at the break trying to figure out what to do. Finally an idea came to her.

She closed her eyes and took a blind step.

Even though the destination was unclear, she knew somewhere deep down which path she had to take. And she trusted herself to decipher which one she needed to choose. So when her foot touched down on the soft soil in front of her, she knew she had chosen correctly.

And then she opened her eyes, ready to take on any challenges that stood in her way. But when she took in her environment, she noticed that she was no longer on a path.

Confusion hit her in a wave, and it took a moment for her to figure out where she was. She shifted her head and hit a bedpost with a soft thud. Realization struck her and her hands moved to push aside the blankets that engulfed her body. She was dreaming... but she didn't remember falling asleep. All she remembered was… Aang.

For some reason he was consuming every one of her thoughts. She saw his face and his hands and his smile and his posture. Pictures and memories from the night before just kept flicking across her mind. Seeing everything again just made her smile to herself. She was happy that she had finally forgiven him. Her hate for him had been an unwanted burden. All she wanted was to lo-.

She stopped her thought before it could completely form. She needed to focus on something else. Something that didn't confuse her feelings.

So, she slowly untangled herself from the mess of fabric around her, and she lifted her head to look around the room, unconsciously hoping that Aang was in there. Waiting for her to wake.

She shook her head, struggling to stop thinking these absurd thoughts.

Suddenly her door burst open and she found herself staring into Toph's blank eyes.

"Katara. We need you." Her voice held an urgency that sent a strangely frightened feeling through Katara's body. She didn't like it.

She stood, ignoring her straining muscles, and rushed to the door. Toph gestured for her to follow and they made their way out of the room, and down the narrow hallway.

When the walls opened up to reveal the open living area, Katara found herself frozen in shock.

Her brother stood in front of her, holding a limp body.

Her first instinct was to look at Sokka's face to figure out what was happening, silently hoping she was still dreaming.

His face was set in a concerned gaze, something that was rarely found on his features. Once again, Katara felt her body shiver with fear. Then she remembered that her brother was holding someone in his arms.

With slight hesitation, she took a step closer to examine the face of the body. One step was not enough, so she moved to take another when someone grabbed her arm.

She turned her face around to find herself staring at Suki. Suki looked into her eyes for only a second before her eyes darted to the floor. Even though it was just for a second, she was able to recognize that her face matched everyone that she had seen this morning. Suki looked like she wanted to say something but she kept her mouth shut, holding in her voice.

Katara was starting to get scared. Her eyes darted around the room trying to comprehend what was causing this reaction in the people she loved most. As she looked around the room she realized that she was wrong. Two faces did not have the expression. Because they were not in the room.

Kantu and Aang.

With sickening dread she shook her arm out of Suki's grasp and she stared back towards body, finally understanding. Everyone's faces suddenly made since. The puzzle pieces finally clicked.

And then she shattered. Everything stood still. A shearing sound cut into her ears and all she could hear was her quickening heartbeat. Her eyes widened with horror. She didn't want to believe what she knew. She couldn't believe what she knew. She shook her head in slow motion. No. No. No. No. NO.

Everyone clearly saw her sudden shut down.

"Katara. Calm down. We found him near the fountain. He need's you too be calm so you can heal him." Sokka desperately tried to explain to her. But she wasn't listening. She was just staring.

And just like that, time came crashing back into her. She finally heard his words.

She crossed the room with quick, urgent steps, and approached the person in Sokka's arms. When she was only a foot away, her attention was drawn to the blood. There was a lot of blood. The entirety of the man's face was covered in it, making it almost unrecognizable. His body was covered in blood stains that had permeated through his clothing layer.

She had never feared the sight of blood but as she stood there, she started to retch. This blood was leaking from someone she loved. This blood was his life. And with every minute she stood there, it was draining away.

With one more step she was standing above him. And as she looked down into the lifeless features, she realized she had already known who it was. But seeing his face now brought back every feeling from last night. One in particular that she had refused to accept. One that she was trying to bury. One that his broken face dredged back into her thoughts.

She flung her hand towards her mouth, trying to stifle back a sob of surprise and grief. She didn't need a mirror to know that her face was covered in agony from the sight before her.

"Lay him on the couch." She stuttered through her hands, careful to keep her eyes locked on her best friend that was laying in front of her. She tried to keep her voice strong for him, but it was only a matter of time before she could not hold back her pain.

But Sokka did not move.

"Kata-" he started to say.

She snapped her head up and focused her icy eyes on him. Her hand was gone from her mouth this time. And she channeled all of her emotions into the next seven words that fell from her mouth.

"I SAID MOVE HIM TO THE COUCH." She didn't mean to sound so… threatening. But her tortured feelings had to come out some way. And luckily her unyielding tone was not questioned this time.

Sokka shuffled over to the couch that sat against the back wall. He set the body down gingerly, careful not to aggravate any of the wounds that plagued his body. When Sokka turned to get out of the way, he almost ran into Katara, who already stood firmly over the body.

"Now everyone leave." She never broke eye contact with the broken man beneath her. She just stared, trying to remember what his face had looked like when he had held her the night before. Trying to remember his touch. The touch that had pulsed with all the life he lacked as he laid beneath her.

"Katara, you need help and he is our friend too!" Suki uttered from somewhere behind her. Katara had already forgotten that she was there. She had forgotten everyone but the bloody person in front of her.

"No. I need to do this alone. You can see him when I'm done." And with that everyone cleared out of the room, leaving her alone with him.

Her best friend. Aang.

Although she didn't want to leave his side, she knew she had to find some water so she relieve him of the pain that coursed through his veins.

Quickly she ran to the bathing room and grabbed a bowl of water. She seized the bowl so fast that she spilled some onto the ground. Cursing herself, she bended the water back into the bowl and ran back to Aang's side. She couldn't afford to waste the precious time. Aang needed her.

With a swift slide of her hand she bended the water into a small orb and let it surround her hand. She then moved quickly, trying to heal him as fast as possible.

Starting with his bloody face, she cleaned off the dried blood and healed a few small bruises. The bruises were easy and took little effort to heal.

His forehead was the worst spot. It held a large gash, and purple spots blossomed around the area. She tried her best to heal it, hoping there was no damage to what was just beneath his skull. When she placed her hand atop his head, she could sense the pain that the gash held. It was not a promising feeling.

After finishing his head, she moved to his torso. Using a water whip, she sliced the soft fabric that covered him. Her nimble hands pulled his shirt carefully over his arms, trying to get as much room as possible. Usually she would blush and stammer from the sight of his bare figure, but this time she only received a shudder of sorrow. His exposed chest gave her a picture of how brutal the attacker had been. One of his ribs was obviously broken, probably caused by kicking. And there were so many bruises. His pale complexion was barely visible through all of the purple and blue splotches. One bruise was as large as her hand and it was still gaining color.

How could someone do something so cruel?

But despite her despair, she healed as many bruises as possible. It took much more effort, and by the time she was finished, she was seeing black spots on the edge of her already blurry vision. Towards the end, she had started crying. And she still hadn't stopped.

Why didn't he just stay with her last night. If she hadn't fallen asleep, he could have stayed with her forever. Then he wouldn't be lying here. Broken.

It was her fault.

Her fault.

Her fault.

The words just kept repeating themselves. And she listened to them.

Her body shook with a silent sob and she moved a weak hand to caress his face. His eyes were closed like he was sleeping, but she could tell he was not dreaming.

She wished it had been her.

He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve all this pain. He deserved to be sitting beside her. Or holding her. Or laughing with her.

He deserved anything but this.

Suddenly everything she had been holding back since the day he left unearthed itself. Her sobs became even heavier. She was sure that everyone could hear her. But all she could think about was how she had felt when Aang had held her.

She had felt safe. And happy. And alive.

And now he had none of those things. He was barely holding onto life.

She sat beside him for an eternity. Hoping he would wake. So she could tell him everything she was feeling. So she could confess.

She was prepared to wait for him like he had waited for her last night. She wasn't going to leave until he was awake. She would stay there until those gray eyes fluttered open and looked into hers.

With one quick motion, she moved her head so her lips were right next to his ear.

"Please w-wake up." she whispered, clasping her crying eyes shut. Her voice was ragged and tender from all of her crying and the healing was taking its toll on her weak body.

Then she moved her lips up a few inches and pressed them lightly against one of the bruises on his cheek. She didn't think about what she was doing. She just did it. In the back of her mind, she remembered how she had done the same thing in her dream. She had just closed her eyes and let her body choose.

Suddenly a cold hand rested upon her shoulder.

She had been so absorbed in Aang, that she hadn't noticed him enter the room.

"Katara. I heard what happened… Are you okay?" Kantu said with a shaky voice.

All Katara could do was spin around and hug him. Maybe he could make her pain melt away. But as she hugged him, she noticed that she felt none of the things she had felt when she had hugged Aang. She just felt like… she was hugging someone. Nothing more. No emotion. No life.

When she broke away from him, she looked into his eyes hoping to find comfort. But he would not meet her eyes. She didn't understand why, but she didn't have enough energy left to care. She suddenly remembered the question he had originally asked her.

"I'm fine. I just don't-I don't understand." She choked a little on her words. When she stuttered, Kantu reached a steady hand out and grabbed her hands that were still quivering from everything that had happened. It curved some of the stabbing grief that had been digging into her. But it didn't curve enough.

"Understand what?" Kantu questioned her.

"Who would do this? Why?" She knew her questions could not be answered, yet she still had to ask. Maybe the universe would send her a sign if she begged hard enough. But if the universe really cared, it would just wake Aang up.

"Honey, you don't blame yourself do you?" He searched her eyes trying to figure out what she was thinking. She answered his question with a fresh stream of tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Katara. You couldn't have prevented this. And you just did your best to heal him. He is going to be fine!" He made a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. It wasn't a genuine smile. And Katara couldn't stand it, so she instead turned her eyes to his hand that was still gripping hers.

She studied how his wrist met his hand and how his fingers extended from his palm. She ran her finger along his tendon and traced it to the knuckles. When she reached his middle knuckle, he pulled his hand away. But he did not pull away fast enough.

Her eyes slammed open with realization and she stared back up at Kantu's fabricated smile. It sent a shiver down her spine.

"You are going to be fine." He said in a comforting tone. But she knew that his tone was just as fake as his smile.

And then he dropped his hand to his side.

Revealing every knuckle. And the purple tint that were painted upon them.

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**Hope you liked the Aangsty-ness! Remember to Review! **

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Bleh. I am so tired of writing this chapter. This is like the tenth version and I am still angry with how it turned out... Idk my brain juices are just failing me... But I knew I had to update this story before I gave up all hope of finishing it. So here it is. Be warned, my fight scene seriously sucks. I am just going to be honest. I can't do it. It's a lot easier to just make everyone cry...**

**Try not to burn your computer after reading this...**

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_I have made mistakes, I continue to make them. And the promises I have made, I continue to break them_. -I Have Made Mistakes.

Time stopped.

All she could hear was the blood pulsing past her eardrums.

All she could taste was the stringent surprise that filled the air around her lips.

All she could smell was the life leaking out of the man beside her.

All she could feel was a cold, bruised hand clasped tightly in hers, anchoring her to him.

And worst of all, all she could see was the eyes of a liar. Of a monster. Of a killer.

She shivered at the word. No, he wasn't a killer. Yet.

His eyes held no remorse. He wasn't even affected. She couldn't tell if he knew about her stunning conclusion. She couldn't tell anything. As she stared into his eyes, she realized that she could never tell anything about him. She didn't know him. She didn't understand him. She didn't trust him.

But most of all, she didn't love him.

She wanted to look away. She wanted to look into someone else's eyes. Someone's gray eyes.

But she couldn't.

Because he was unconscious beside her. He was dying beside her. Because of the malevolent man holding her gaze.

And then, time flew back into motion.

Her eyebrows furrowed into an angry stare of pure loathing. Her hand ripped away from the deceitful monster that stood before her and clenched into a vengeful fist. Her mouth straightened into a hard line. Her legs twitched, fighting the urge to stand up and fight. Her eyes burned into the man she had once wanted to marry.

When she pulled her hand away from his grasp, something changed in his eyes. Understanding maybe?

But it only flickered for a moment. Then his face feigned a hurt expression. Once upon a time she might have believed he was hurt. She probably would have tried to comfort him. But not this time.

Her clenched fist moved to her necklace. It felt like it was strangling her. Reminding her of her trust. Of her naivety.

And finally she spoke.

"What have you done." She snarled at him. The words were quiet and low, warning him that she saw past his fake smile. Yet he did not drop his act.

"What are you talking about?" He questioned with concern. Like she didn't know what she was talking about. Like she was insane.

But instead of answering his words with her voice, she just pointed on solemn finger in the direction of the broken man on the couch. Kantu's eyes flickered once again, but this time she knew what the emotion was.

The same one that he had always worn.

Arrogance.

He was proud of himself. He didn't care what she thought. He didn't fear her wrath. He didn't fear her reaction.

He was severely mistaken.

Then he smiled.

His smile repulsed her. The smile he wore now was not his fake one. It was completely real. It was the first real smile she had really ever seen from him. And it was evil. She felt like the smile was planning out her demise. Like it was watching her die.

"You don't know what you are talking about…" He started.

"Liar." she growled with malice.

His eyes lit up in flames. His arrogance was replaced with searing fury.

"I am not a liar!" He yelled back in her face, trying to conceal his obvious contempt. His face got closer when he said this and when he yelled, his hot breath whipped across her face.

She closed her eyes as if she was defeated.

And then opened them again to reveal the same fire reflected in her own eyes.

"You're right. You're not a liar… You are a monster." She screamed in response. On the word monster, a tear broke away from her eye. She wasn't sure why. Maybe from hate. Maybe from anger. Maybe from sadness. Maybe from shock. But despite the weakness behind the water droplet, she stood strong against Kantu. She was unyielding.

At her sentence, Kantu's face transformed into a lived shade of red.

"Shutup. I will not take this from you. You are to be my wife soon, and wives do not insult their husbands." He hissed through his clenched teeth.

Katara's eyes widened in horror at the reminder. She had forgotten about her engagement. She had forgotten her foolish mistake.

But she would fix it now.

In one fierce motion she grabbed the necklace that had once held so much hope, and she ripped it from her neck. Then she flung the torn necklace onto the ground and dropped a heavy foot on the engraved stone. When she lifted her foot, the charm was shattered into sharp pieces. Just like her.

When she looked up to say something she was immediately met with a strong hand to her cheek. The sudden force knocked her to the ground and it didn't take long before she could feel the skin start to swell where she was struck.

When she fell, her hand landed on the broken necklace and she felt the sharp edge cut across her palm in a stinging motion. She knew without looking that there would be blood.

More blood. That was the last thing she wanted.

And it was all Kantu's fault.

At that moment, Sokka opened the door to check on Aang's condition. He had been waiting to hear from Katara, but she had never emerged from the room. He could only expect that things weren't going well.

What he found was much worse than he thought it would be. All he saw was the inflamed mark on his sister's cheek and the blood flowing from her hand.

And Kantu standing over her in an enraged state.

The dots connected in his brain and without even thinking, he charged across the room and tackled Kantu. They both fell to the ground with a loud thud. Once they were on the ground they began to roll in a violent struggle to attack the other. Sokka threw wild punches and felt a few connect with Kantu's smug face. Meanwhile Kantu placed a few jabs that hit Sokka and knocked the wind out of him.

They rolled around in an equally matched fight when Kantu finally broke out of Sokka's hold. Sokka knew that he had broken free, but he did not realize that Kantu had moved his feet into a dangerous position.

Suddenly Kantu kicked out with ferocity and pushed Sokka off of him. He then jumped onto his feet and punched the confused Sokka, who was still trying to get up, right in the jaw. There was a loud crunch at the contact and Sokka was thrown to the ground once again.

But this time, he didn't make an attempt to get up.

As soon as he hit the floor, Kantu began to kick him. Most of his kicks were place near the rib cage, and all Sokka could do was curl into a ball, trying to protect his vital organs. Each kick was strategically placed to cause the most damage possible. There was no mercy. Only cold determination.

"You...cannot… beat… me…" Kantu uttered between kicks. All the while he stared down at Sokka like he was a pitiful excuse for a person.

And his kicks were not lessening up.

If anything, they were becoming harder, as Sokka's defenses slowly faltered and melted away.

Then a piercing yell interrupted the barrage of blows.

Kantu turned around to find Katara standing across the room with multiple water streams surrounding her in an attack stance. Her face was set in a fierce position, ready to defend the people she loved.

At this sight, Kantu stepped away from the battered Sokka, and moving one step in her direction. He had a hungry look in his eyes, like he was hunting his prey.

"This ends now Kantu." Katara threatened. Her eyes piercing him as if she could kill him with a look. Kantu raised his hands as if he was giving up, while Sokka moaned in pain on the ground. Katara tried not to let his anguished voice effect her, but she couldn't help it.

When she heard his voice, her hands started to tremble and she hoped that Kantu did not see her weakness.

"Honey, calm down. We can figure this out." He said with a soothing voice as he slowly moved closer.

"No. We can't." And with her resigning words she flung a water whip across the room grabbed his foot. Or at least she tried. He easily avoided her attack with a sidestep.

"Now. Don't get feisty." he cooed.

His words only pushed Katara's rage even farther. With a sweeping motion, she sent a multitude of icy bullets in his direction. Most of the bullets missed, but a few made contact with his arm.

He clutched his arm and let out an agonized scream.

While he was distracted, Katara bended the water from the healing bowls and sent it in his direction, with the intent of freezing him to the wall. And this time, her attack did not miss.

Kantu was pinned to the wall from the waist down, and he struggled to free himself, to no avail.

With Kantu subdued, Katara ran across the room to help Sokka. When she reached him, there was blood gushing from his mouth and his rib cage looked severely swollen. She struggled not to start sobbing at the sight of her brother in this state.

She had already dealt with Aang. Not Sokka, too.

Not her strong brother. Not the warrior.

He looked so out of place, lying on the ground, looking so defeated. So hurt.

It wasn't right.

Hastily, she gathered some water off the floor around her and frantically moved to heal him. As she worked, he mumbled a few incomprehensible words. His eyes looked like they were trying to open and look around, but he could not find the strength to open them more than just a squint.

"Shhh. You are going to be okay." Katara assured him as she moved her healing hands around.

"Katar- what..about-Kant…?" He stuttered through the blood that was collecting in his mouth.

When he said this, Katara turned her head to check that Kantu was still stuck to the wall .

But to her shocking dismay, the wall was empty.

Her heart plummeted with fear.

Her eyes frantically searched around the room, trying to find him before he could attack her. Before he could somehow take more from her.

She stood up from beside Sokka and pulled some water from the ground in case she needed to defend herself.

Her eyes kept darting around in panic.

First behind the corner.

Then under the coffee table.

Then next to the chair.

Then over to the doorway.

But her eyes found nothing.

She was about to turn around and continue her healing, hoping that Kantu had run in defeat, when she heard that icy voice.

It was somehow different this time. Not so much composure. Not so much cockiness. Not so much pride.

It sounded much more like desperation.

Her body whipped around to lock her sight on the source of that voice.

And then she saw him.

She gasped in horror when she witnessed the scene that was unfolding before her.

There was Kantu. With a knife in his hand. And his knife was pressed precariously against the throat of the still unconscious Aang. And in Kantu's eyes she saw no mercy. Just pure desperation to inflict pain on her. .

"Kantu. Stop." She struggled through her increasing breaths. She had to stop him. This couldn't happen. But as she calculated every move, she realized that anything she did would result in the same outcome. And that outcome would end her. She could not afford to lose Aang. Not again.

Not again.

And then she suddenly knew what she had to do.

"You did this to yourself. You chose this." He said just before he moved his hand to slice through the soft flesh beneath his sharp blade.

And then his hand stopped. His hand started to tremble and his body fell limp as Katara took control. His movements became forced and jerky as opposed to their normal grace.

She moved her trembling hand to bend his body and move it away from Aang's. Once he was away from Aang, she threw him against the wall in a powerful stroke. His body hit the ground and did not move anymore after that, whether he was unconscious or dead, she didn't care.

All she cared about was Aang.

And her brother.

And the hate Kantu.

Suddenly realization of what she just did hit her like a powerful wave hitting the rocks beneath a cliff.

She had blood bended.

Without a full moon.

Her rage and fear and grief had been so intense that she had somehow bended without the power boost from the moon.

Her raw power invoked an unsettling fear deep within her. With the twitch of her hand, she had saved a life and possibly taken a life.

It was a power she didn't feel was right.

She shouldn't be able to choose who lived and died.

But if she hadn't done it, Aang would be dead.

The gravity of Aang possibly being gone for good suddenly settled in.

Never hearing his laugh jingle through the air. Never feeling his eyes see through hers. Never holding his hand in hers. Never talking to him. Never feeling his warmth surrounding her on cold nights. Never tasting his lips on hers. Never loving him.

It would all just be gone.

He would just be gone.

With a shiver, she decided that she had done the right thing.

Even though it felt wrong, the other outcome would have been much more devastating.

But after bending Kantu across the room, her eyes suddenly darkened. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground in a heap. Her inner turmoil and her waning energy had finally caught back up with her.

When she fell to the ground, so did her mask.

She just cried.

She cried for the unfairness of everything. For the monstrosity that was Kantu. For her wounded brother. For her broken friend. For her stupidity.

And with each tear, reality slowly began to slip away, as if the whole thing was just a dream…

"Just a nightmare." She murmured as she drifted away from the broken world filled with all the broken people.

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**Wonderful ending, right? Jk.**

**Hey at least this chapter is over and you never have to read it again! :)**

**Review!...If your eyes are not blind from the horror above...**


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